


She's Something

by haleyzz



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alphabet Challenge, F/M, Post-Canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-08
Updated: 2015-04-17
Packaged: 2018-03-21 21:58:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3705831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haleyzz/pseuds/haleyzz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The story of Sokka and Azula and how Sokka comes to realize that he likes the way she scares him. Entry for the Alphabet Challenge. A collection of loosely chronological chapters all set within the same story. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Azula

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this is part of the Alphabet Challenge, which you can find on FF.net
> 
> I decided that I wanted to add She's Something to this site, since it's already on Tumblr and FF.net
> 
> But yeah, enjoy!

Sokka isn’t sure what to think when it comes to Azula. He knows that he’s supposed to hate her, despise her even. After all, this was the girl that tried to kill his sister with a bolt of lightning. This was the girl that nearly killed Aang. Azula took down the Earth Kingdom. Azula imprisoned Suki. Azula tried to kill him. Azula’s mean and cruel and she knows how to tear you down. Sokka knows all of this, yet he finds himself liking her anyways.

She scares him. Hell, she downright terrifies him, yet he wants her. He knows this isn’t how things were supposed to happen. He was supposed to marry Suki and live in the Southern Water Tribe, eventually becoming Chief once his dad passed. She was supposed to live in the Fire Nation and maintain her role as Princess. But life has a way of making the unexpected a reality.

Instead of living at the South Pole, preparing for his role as Chief, Sokka was in the Fire Nation acting as a temporary ambassador for his tribe in order to help Zuko reintegrate his country back into the world. He’d lost Suki as well. It was hard to stay in love with someone you only saw a few times a year. Suki had obligations to Kyoshi Island and couldn’t give her heart to Sokka. He was sad, but when the time came for the two to part he knew it was for the better. They each needed someone else, someone who ignited a flame in their hearts.

Azula did stay in the Fire Nation, but not in the way she’d imagined a few years prior. For starters, she spent the first year after the war in a mental hospital, putting her mind back together with the help of her brother and healers. After that, she was released into the care of Zuko, destined to spend the rest of her days in the royal palace. Overall, it wasn’t a bad way to end up, but Azula had imagined herself as the future Fire Lord ever since Zuko had been banished, and for that dream to be shattered by none other than a waterbending peasant girl had been hard for Azula to get over.

Sokka had been staying in a guest wing of the palace, along with a few fellows from the Earth Kingdom and some guy from the Northern Water Tribe. They were all here to represent their homes in the Fire Nation. For the most part, he didn’t see Azula too often. She took most of her meals in her room and he didn’t venture to the wing of the palace where she spent the majority of her time. However, despite the enormosity of the palace, Azula and Sokka had been bound to run into each other, and run into each other they did. For Sokka, nearly running over the insane Princess of the Fire Nation was a terrifying experience. He expected her to blast him down with lightning, but she had defied his expectations and kept the electricity to a minimum. Of course, that’s not to say that Azula didn’t want to blast the poor peasant through the wall, but she managed to contain that urge. After all, it was only through Zuko’s generosity that she wasn’t locked in a prison cell next to her father and despite her misgivings towards her brother, she wasn’t going to risk jail by frying one of his best friends.

So instead of killing with her lightning, she killed him with her words. Sokka wasn’t one to take an insult lying down. One thing led to another, and soon they were full out arguing in the middle of the corridor.

Eventually, Azula won (as she usually did when it came to things like this) and Sokka stomped off towards his chambers, grumbling under his breath about stupid Fire Nation Princesses.

Fate, it seemed, had decided that after their first meeting, Sokka and Azula were to run into each other nearly every other day after that. Whether it be eye contact when Azula emerged from the training grounds as Sokka heading towards Zuko’s throne room, or scathing insults as they passed one another in the corridor.

As time passed, Sokka began to view it as more of a game. He’d lay in bed at night, thinking up insults to share with Princess Azula. From then on, instead of getting offended by her comments, he congratulated her on her prowess with verbal abuse. It was weird, Sokka knew that much, but as each day passed them by, it came more and more of a routine. Fleeting jabs in the hall turned into smirks in the dining hall which turned into long conversations atop of a tower which turned into stolen kisses behind tapestries which turned into passionate nights in the privacy of Sokka’s bedchambers.

Sokka spends his days with Zuko and his nights with Zuko’s little sister. He’s not sure what they are exactly, but he knows they’re something. She's something.

Looking down at the sleeping Princess, Sokka touches her cheek, running his pointer finger down the length of her face and then back up to circle the lips he’d been kissing not so long ago. He decided that he would stop analyzing whatever this was. After all, he enjoys Azula. Though she tends to insult him every other minute, he finds himself looking forward to their time together. He can handle her jabs as long as he gets to be with her.

Azula turns over, snuggling her face into the pillow. Sokka leans down, brushing his lips ever so slightly against her forehead.

No one knows.

Sokka isn't entirely sure what everyone would do if they were to find out. Surely, they wouldn't understand. After all, this is Azula, and while Sokka does manage to look past her transgressions, he's sure that the rest of his friends wouldn't be able to do so.

Zuko would be aghast, he knew as much. Here Sokka was, a guest in the Fire Lord's home, trouncing around with his little sister. Katara would be furious, she might even choose to not speak to him for the rest of their lives. Aang would be confused, not sure why his best friend would shack up with a girl who tried to end their lives multiple times. Toph might understand. Her and Sokka were close, but even if it didn't make sense to her, Sokka was sure that she wouldn't shun him.

Sokka considers all of this, as his kisses travel to Azula's cheek. Was the Princess worth the risk of possibly losing all of his friends? He thinks back to their first real night together, Azula's sighs and the way her body arched perfectly against his, and decides that Yes, it was worth it. She was worth it.

He lays with her until the sun starts to come up. When rays of sunlight begin to filter through the red curtains hanging against the door to her balcony, Sokka forces himself to get out of her bed. He pulls the covers back up to cover her body, tucking them in around her bare shoulders. She stirs, turning over onto her side, but she doesn't wake.

Seeing Azula so peaceful makes Sokka's heart hurt. He turns around on his feet and steps quietly towards the door. He opens it just an inch to make sure there aren't any guards posted outside before stepping out into the hall. He turns and looks over his shoulder at the sleeping girl and smiles.

As he closes the door behind him, Sokka decides that maybe he likes the way she scares him.

 

 


	2. Ba Sing Se

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> chapter 2

Sokka watches.

Sokka watches Azula.

Sokka watches Azula while she drinks her tea. He watches the way the muscles in her hand flex as she brings the cup to her lips. He watches her mouth as it opens ever so slightly, allowing the liquid to flow over her tongue. He watches her throat move as she swallows. He watches her eyes flutter closed for a split second as she enjoys her tea.

Sokka watches Azula sit. When she isn’t drinking her tea, she clasps her hands together on the table in front of her. Her back is straight, perfect posture giving away her aristocratic background. He watches her eyebrow raise in response to one of Toph’s comments. She doesn’t laugh or smile, but Sokka knows she wants to, because the corner of her lip twitches ever so slightly. Sokka knows this because he's always watching.

Sokka watches Azula turn her head. She’s looking at him. He leans forward ever so slightly. She lifts an eyebrow and he lifts one back. She cocks her head to the left and he cocks his head to the right. Azula sighs. Sokka smiles.

She rolls her eyes. He’s in the process of making a face when Toph’s impatient voice jerks him back to reality.

“Snoozles! Are you even listening to anything I’m saying?”

Sokka tears his eyes away from Azula to look at his friend. She’s gazing in his direction, obviously annoyed if her pursed lips and huffy sighs are any indication. Sokka’s cheeks turn red and he rubs the back of his neck, “Uh, yes?”

Toph rolls her eyes, “I don’t need my earthbending to know you weren’t paying any bit of attention to me.”

Sokka slumps back in his chair, a sheepish smile on his face, “Sorry, Toph. You were saying?”

Toph props her foot on the table and leans back in her chair, “I was talking about my students, but since you don’t seem real interested in that, we can talk about something else.”

Sokka slouches forward, resting his elbows on the table, “Can we talk about how boring it is here? I came on this trip because I thought this was gonna be fun. I didn’t think we’d just sit around the entire time.”

Azula cuts in, arching an eyebrow at his whining, “We’re not here for pleasantries and games, you imbecile. This is a purely political trip. You knew that when you got on the boat.”

Sokka makes a face, annoyed that she was right. He was in Ba Sing Se, accompanying Zuko as he traveled in order to work out an agreement on the export of coal from the Fire Nation to the Earth Kingdom that would benefit both Nations. Azula had come along because Zuko didn’t trust her enough to leave her to her own devices in the Fire Nation Palace. Zuko thought Sokka came along in order to get out of the Fire Nation for a few weeks, but really he came along because he couldn’t stand to be without her for any extended period of time. After all, what was he supposed to do all day and night without Zuko and Azula?

This had seemed like a good idea at first. After all, in the Earth Kingdom they wouldn’t be surrounded by all of the annoying guards that were everywhere in the Fire Nation palace. He would finally be able to be alone with Azula. Of course, he had forgotten that the Earth King also had a lot of guards as well. Not to mention the fact that Zuko was keeping an especially close eye on Azula since they were so far from home. Needless to say, Sokka was very very bored.

Sokka sighs exasperatedly, drumming his fingers on the table, “I know that. I just thought that maybe we would do something besides stay in your Uncle’s tea shop all day long. It’s almost as bad as the Palace.” He shoots a glance to Iroh, who is carefully pouring a few cups of tea a few tables away, “No offense.”

Iroh smiles good naturedly, setting the tea cups on a small circular tray, “None taken, young man. I find that most people don’t have the passion that I have for tea making. It is quite easy to become bored if you are not enjoying your surroundings.”

Toph yawns, reaching forward to pick at one of her toes, “Well, I’m not bored. I like it here. I’ll take old people in a tea shop over the idiots I’m supposed to teach metalbending to any day.” She nods, as if that proves her point, and shoves her pointer finger between her big toe and the one next to it, digging around. After a few seconds, Toph pulls her finger free, closely examining the muck under her nails.

Azula curls her lip at the sight, “You’re disgusting. Stop that at once.”

“Why don’t you make me, Crazy?” Toph counters, bringing her finger to her nose. She inhales slowly and waggles her eyebrows at the Princess, well aware that she was getting on Azula’s nerves.

Sokka watches as Azula’s eyes flash. He knows she doesn’t like being called Crazy. It reminds her too much of the asylum. He watches her inhale deeply, counting in her head like the healers taught her to do when her anger began to get the better of her. He touches her foot with his own, his own personal way of comforting her. He watches her go still. She glances at him for a split second before shaking her head at Toph.

Azula leans back into her chair, glaring daggers at Toph. She turns her head sharply, looking out towards the rest of the Jasmine Dragon, “Uncle!”

Sokka follows her gaze to Iroh, who is carefully setting a few cups of tea on the table of two elderly women. He looks in their direction and lifts a hand, letting them know he’ll be there in a minute. When he finishes with the women he comes to their table, smiling serenely at Azula, “What can I do for you, Princess Azula?”

Azula casts another disgusted look at Toph before returning her gaze to her Uncle, “I wish to leave. I can’t stand another second around… her. She’s disgusting and-”

“You aren’t too delicious yourself, Princess Crazy.” Toph interjects sourly.

“Miss Beifong,” Iroh admonishes gently, “name calling isn’t very ladylike.” He looks back at his niece, “Now you know you can’t just leave, Princess Azula. Fire Lord Zuko has ordered that you are not to go anywhere without an escort.”

Indignation twists Azula’s features and once again Sokka brushes his foot against hers under the table. She takes another breath and softly taps her foot back against his. He smiles.

“Then escort me. I don’t care. I just don’t want to be here any longer.”

Iroh sighs gently, “I can’t just leave. I have customers to attend to. I would suggest that Miss Beifong escort you, but I don’t think that would be a very good idea.” He chuckles to himself, like the thought of that is funny.

Azula and Toph both scoff and send each other dirty looks, as if the last thing they wanted to do on Earth was spend more time together. Sokka had a hunch that at least in Azula’s case, spending more time with Toph was the last thing she wanted to do on Earth.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to remain here, Princess Azula. At least until closing time.” Iroh put a hand on Azula’s shoulder, causing her to stiffen, “I’m sorry. I can speak to Zuko about leaving you at the palace tomorrow, if you wish.”

Azula rolls her eyes, obviously not liking this idea any better than the previous. She sighs, waving Iroh away, “That won’t be necessary. I’ll end up hanging myself due to sheer boredom if I’m left there.”

Iroh opens his mouth, no doubt to offer Azula some wisdom, when Sokka raises his hand suddenly. All eyes at the table look at him and he manages a smile while looking in Iroh’s direction, “If you, uh, don’t mind, General Iroh, but I can escort Azula through Ba Sing Se? I’m kind of bored too and I won’t let her get away or anything. I haven’t been here in years and it’d be nice to do some sightseeing, even if it is with her.” He throws in an insult for good measure. After all, it wouldn’t do for anyone to think he actually liked her.

Azula, quick as ever to respond, waves Sokka away, “As if I want to spend the day with you, peasant. Not to mention, you’d have no chance of stopping me if I were to try and get away. Are you planning on throwing your boomerang at me?”

Sokka opens his mouth, indignation written all over his face. He’s ready to respond when Toph places a hand on his arm, “She’s got a point, Snoozles. You’re a great warrior and all but you really don’t stand a chance against someone like Princess Crazy.”

Azula nods, raising her eyebrow at Sokka.

He rolls his eyes, looking back at Iroh, “Don’t listen to them, General. I can handle Azula. Besides, do you really think that she’s going to try to escape? I mean, c’mon, if she really wanted to, she would’ve already. It’s not like it would be hard to do.”

Azula nods again, looking at her uncle to confirm Sokka’s statement, “True enough, I suppose. The imbeciles that my brother tries to pass off as guards could be dealt with in seconds. If I were truly trying to escape, I would have done so ages ago.”

Iroh strokes his beard, looking up at the ceiling, “I suppose it wouldn’t be such a terrible idea. After all, you’ve made great progress in the past few years, Princess Azula. I do not think you are as bad as others would lead me to believe.” Sokka sits up in his chair, an eager smile growing on his face. Even Azula perks up, though it wouldn’t be noticeable to anyone who didn’t know the tell tale signs of her body language.

Iroh purses his lips, “However,” Sokka slumps back into his chair. Azula frowns. “If Fire Lord Zuko were to find out, I’m sure he would be most displeased.”

Sokka looks up, “He doesn’t have to find out, General! I can have her back here before sundown.”

Azula frowns even deeper, no doubt disgruntled at the thought of Sokka having her back at any certain time.

Sokka continues, oblivious to Azula’s irritation, “And, if you think about it, Zuko will probably be overjoyed that he can trust Azula, right? I think this is a great idea!”

Sokka’s excitement is growing. He can tell that General Iroh is considering it, and the mere thought of spending time alone with Azula, in Ba Sing Se, is tantalizing.

It takes some more convincing (and a lot of whining) but eventually General Iroh does agree to allow Sokka to escort Azula through the city as long as they promise to make it back to the Jasmine Dragon by sundown.

As soon as the words I suppose fall from the General’s lips, Sokka is quick to jump out of his seat, taking long strides towards the door. He pushes it open and turns around, a wide grin on his face, “Are you coming or not? Because I’m ready to get out of this place and I’m going with or without you, Princess.”

Azula looks back at her uncle, who is giving her one of his strange smiles, “I’ll see you in a few hours, Princess Azula.”

She looks over at Sokka, who is tapping his foot impatiently. He tilts his head and then steps out the door, “I’m leaving, Azula! You better hurry if you want to come!” He waits another second before closing the door behind him.

With a long drawn out sigh, Azula rises from her chair and walks towards the door. Unlike Sokka, who’d all but run out into the street, Azula manages to maintain a sense of composure and regality as leaves the tea shop. Sokka is waiting outside for her, arms crossed, an excited smile plastered on his face.

“I can’t believe they actually let you go.” He says, taking a step towards the path that leads them towards the sidewalk.

The Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se is as picture perfect as always. Women walk down the street, faces covered in make up. They’re accompanied by their children. The men walk stiffly, noses held high in the air as if they know they’re better than everyone else around them.  
Sokka decides that he prefers the Middle and Lower rings of Ba Sing Se. They’re teeming with life and fun. The Upper ring is boring and stuffy and if there is one thing that Sokka doesn’t like, it’s boring and stuffy.

“Yes, well, my Uncle seems to think I’m trustworthy enough to have some semblance of freedom.” Azula responds, taking a step to follow Sokka.

“Aren’t you?” He inquires, tilting his head.

She shrugs.

Sokka doesn’t say anything else.

Azula and Sokka spend twenty minutes, exploring the Upper Ring. Azula seems to enjoy herself somewhat. She also seems to fit in very well, Sokka thinks. Her nose seems to be turned higher than even the snobbiest of Earth Kingdom nobles. Azula thinks that she’s better than all of them, and Sokka would agree that she is right.

But there’s only so much to do in the Upper Ring. There are tea shops and spas and high class bars around every corner, but none of these appeal to Sokka and Azula, which is why they find themselves at one of the monorail stations, in order to head down to the Middle ring. If Sokka had a yuan for every disparaging comment Azula made about public transport then he thinks that he might even have enough money to buy the Princess her own carriage. Sokka does convince her to ride though, promising that the benches weren’t as dirty as she thought they were. Of course, he didn’t know that for sure, but he just wanted Azula to be comfortable.

The Middle Ring is just as Sokka predicted. There are shops lining the streets and even more street vendors around, selling goods to various people that are walking the streets. Sokka sees students from Ba Sing Se University loitering around a stand that is selling some kind of food. He sees mothers, dragging their children from store to store. He sees bumble-flys hover around the various flowers and he even spots a few goat dogs, sitting patiently next to their owners.

Sokka spends most of the time talking, babbling on about what he sees around them and memories that he has of past adventures with his friends. Azula acts like she doesn’t care, but Sokka knows that she’s listening.

Sokka finally plucks up enough courage to hold her hand while they’re strolling past the University. Azula looks at him, surprised by his boldness. He raises his eyebrows, squeezing her hand. She doesn’t let go.  
When Azula feels as if she’s had enough time exploring the Middle Ring, Sokka takes her to the Lower Ring. Azula doesn’t like it as much as he does.

“It’s filthy.” She complains, stepping gingerly over what Sokka figured to be Ostrich Horse droppings, “There is animal filth in the roads. Why would anyone want to come here. I much preferred the Middle District.”

“Because,” Sokka says, gesturing around with his free hand, “this place is full of character. You know Zuko and your uncle Iroh even lived here for awhile? Before they moved to the Upper Ring.”

Azula rolls her eyes, “I’m quite aware, thank you. This being a place that previously housed my brother does nothing to make it better in my eyes.”

“There’s just no pleasing you, is there?”

Azula shakes her head and calls Sokka a peasant. This begins another argument, though really, it’s more like bickering. Sokka thinks that he might even enjoy it.

Azula is winning (like always) when Sokka decides to throw her off with a kiss.

It’s obvious that she isn’t expecting it. After all, instead of returning the gesture immediately, Azula freezes up, the shock evident in her body language. Of course, once she recovers, she can’t help herself from kissing him back.

The Earth Kingdom citizens walk past them. Some spare them a glance but it’s nothing suspicious. Sokka and Azula look like two ordinary lovestruck teenagers. None of these people know who they are. It gives them the anonymity to act as they pleased.

Azula pulls away first, ignoring the way her face heats up. Sokka laughs, squeezing her hand again, before dragging her off towards a vendor selling meat on a stick.

They lose track of time quickly, and it’s just past sundown when they finally make it back to General Iroh’s tea shop. They’re a little late, but neither of them seem to care. Sure, Zuko would be angry, but Zuko was always angry.

Sokka doesn’t even mind when Zuko does yell at him. He disregards Zuko’s anger with ease. He decides that he would let Zuko yell at him a thousand times over if it meant he got to see Azula smile like she did with him today.


	3. Carry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter 3

“Do you really need the palanquin when you go visit Ty Lee? Honestly, Azula… She lives only ten minutes away from the palace.”

Sokka rolls over onto his side, propping his body up with his elbow. He gazes at Azula, who’s lying on her back next to Sokka. She’s beautiful right now, the sweat on her body making her glow. Sokka rests a hand on her stomach, her smooth skin contrasting against the callouses on his palm, and leans down to kiss her shoulder. 

It was a regular night for Sokka and Azula. It was a few hours after midnight and they were laying on Azula’s bed, enjoying their post coital haze. Sokka had snuck into Azula’s rooms as soon as the guard’s shift ended. There was a small window of time in between guard rotations that Sokka found to be the best way to get into her bedchambers. Azula had merely waited for his head to pop into the room. As per usual, they fell into each other’s arms the minute they laid their eyes on one another. Clothing was shed and about an hour later, they soon found themselves lying next to each other, tired and out of breath. 

Sokka had discovered that Azula before he took her to bed was different than Azula after he took her to bed. Of course, Sokka enjoyed both versions of the Princess, but he was particularly fond of Azula after they were together. She was a softer version of herself, more playful and less menacing. 

“Do I need the palanquin?” Azula asks, turning her head to gaze at Sokka, “I suppose not.”

Sokka grins, his lips dancing up from her shoulder to her neck, “Knew it.”

“But,” Azula rests a hand on the back of Sokka’s head, running her fingers through his hair. She smirks, “why walk when there are peasants who wish to carry you? Princesses are meant to be carried.”

“Oh, really?” Sokka asks, getting an idea. He takes his hand off of her stomach and cups her breast, squeezing softly.

Azula sighs, her eyes fluttering closed, “Really. So, no, I don’t need the palanquin. But I want it.”

“Azula…” Sokka kisses her jaw and runs his thumb over her nipple, “I’m a peasant, aren’t I?”

She laughs, opening one eye to stare at him, “Unfortunately for me, you are. However, I seem to enjoy your company anyways. What does that say about me?”

“Shows that you have good taste, Princess.” He whispers, his breath hot against her skin. He kisses the corner of her mouth, moving his body closer and closer to hers, “I was just thinking… if you’re a Princess and you’re meant to be carried, and I’m a peasant who’ll find any excuse to touch you… how would you feel about a bath? I’ll carry you to the tub and your feet will never have to touch the ground.”

Azula opens both of her eyes, turning her head to face Sokka, “I’m too sleepy to even consider getting out of my bed.”

“That’s the point, Princess, you don’t have to do anything.” Sokka kisses her on the mouth quickly before rolling off of the bed,“Let me do the work.”

Azula rolls her eyes but lifts her arms obligingly. Sokka hurries to her side of the bed and scoops her up bridal style, tucking one arm under her knees and the other behind her back. Azula is startled by the quick movement, but stays silent, gazing up at Sokka from under her eyelashes. 

They stare at one another, blue eyes against gold. Sokka can’t look away, captivated by his Princess. He’s made it a point not to question the intensity of his feelings for Azula and up until this point, he had succeeded. But it was hard to ignore his emotions when she was looking at him like that. All he can think about is how cute her eyelashes are and how much he loves to argue with her and how amazing her body feels when it’s writhing underneath his. 

He feels flutters in his chest and his mouth goes dry. Fuck, she was so beautiful. He’s not sure how long they’ve been staring at one another, but Sokka feels like he can do this forever. He starts to wonder how long this is going to last when Azula finally looks away, turning her face towards the door that led to her bath tub. He takes this as his cue to begin walking.

Sokka is careful with Azula, putting a lot of effort into holding her gently. He didn’t want to hold her too tightly or jostle her or trip over his own two feet. Azula was too good to be fumbled. Seconds later, he nudges the door open with his foot and steps inside. 

It’s as pristine as he expected it to be, not a speck of dirt to be found anywhere in the room. He shakes his head, marvelling at the sheer luxury that the room emanated. He’d been living in the Fire Nation for awhile now and he was still amazed that they had indoor plumbing. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever be used to this.

Inhaling, Sokka steps towards the tub. Thankfully, both he and Azula are already naked so there’s no need to take any clothing off. Gently, Sokka bends forward towards the tub and lowers Azula inside. She grips the edge and easily slides her body back to the wall of the tub so she’s facing the faucet. With a smirk she gives a pointed look at the faucets and waves her hand to Sokka.

“Well, you said that you’d do all the work didn’t you?” She tilts her head.

Sokka laughs and turns the knob for hot water, “I should have known you’d take that literally.”

Immediately, water begins to flow from the tap and into the tub. It begins to pull around Azula’s body. Sokka watches the water, it rises above her legs first and slowly inches it’s way up her form. He turns it off when it’s right at her breasts.   
He gets in, sitting across from Azula. He’s a little cramped because he has to hunch one shoulder under the faucet, but he’s not complaining. He places his legs on either side of Azula’s body, his toes brushing her hips. 

Sokka doesn’t waste time, reaching for some random shampoo as soon as he’s settled. Time seems to slow down, and it’s just Sokka, Azula, and a tub of water. He washes her hair, slow and thorough, running his fingers up and down along her scalp. When he finishes with that, he washes her body, his soapy hands slipping across her slick skin. Neither of them speak, choosing instead to enjoy the intimate silence that settled over them. 

When all of the soap is washed from Azula’s hair and body, Sokka stands. He lets the water fall from his body, not wanting to make a mess all over the floor. When he’s sufficiently dry, he steps over the edge and reaches for the first towel he can find. It’s red, with gold trim, and made of fine cotton. Even the towels in the Fire Nation were fancy. He shakes his head, wraps it around his waist, and then grabs one for Azula before walking back towards the tub. He steps back into the tub and crouches down next to Azula. He lifts the towel and gently wraps it around Azula’s shoulders. She’s gazing at him with one eyebrow cocked in the air.

“Don’t worry, Princess,” Sokka smirks, leaning in to kiss her on the lips, “I’m going to keep my end of the deal. Your feet won’t have to touch the ground. But… the bathtub is not the ground, so stand up so I can dry you off.” 

Azula leans her head back, her wet hair sticking to her face, “You don’t order me around, peasant. It’s the other way around.” She’s teasing him. 

Fuck, she’s so amazing.

“It’s not an order, it’s a request.” 

“Well, I am in a good mood…” Azula drawls. She pushes herself to her feet, rising with a grace that only the Princess of the Fire Nation has. Sokka steps back into her space, leaving little space between their bodies. He puts his hands on her shoulders and pushes the towel off and down her arms. He dries her off slowly, taking care to leisurely run the towel over and across Azula’s dripping form. When she’s dry, he steps out of the tub and holds his arms out.

“Well, Princess, your chariot awaits.”

Azula steps forward and wraps one arm around Sokka’s neck. He does the rest of the work, looping both of his arms around her body, holding her against his chest bridal style. He carries her back to her bed, gently setting her down on the sheets. She stretches out on the bed and Sokka has to tell himself that he’s not dreaming. Azula is laying in front of him, on a large bed, naked. He closes his eyes for a second, before crawling in after her. He wraps one arm around her waist and pulls her against his chest. He seeks out her lips with his own and when he finds them he wastes no time in kissing her. 

A quick glance towards the window tells him that he has about an hour before it’s time to return to his own chambers. He looks back at his Princess and rolls his body over so he’s on top of her. If he only had one more hour with her, he wanted to make the most of it.


	4. Dragon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter 4

Back in the Southern Water Tribe, sunlight was sparse. For a good half of the year, there was just darkness, only the moon and lanterns to guide the warriors through their hunts. But during the light season, the sun was only up for a few hours of the day. Since embarking on his travels with Aang, Sokka had come to appreciate the warmth that came with daylight. And there was nowhere in the world with more light than the Fire Nation.

Temperatures in the Fire Nation capital ranged from unpleasant to unbearable during the peak of the day. Only around sunset did the heat really begin to disappear, to be replaced by the coolness that the moon provided.

Sokka ran his hand across his forehead, clearing his skin of any moisture. Thankfully the temperature was going down. He didn’t think he could handle the heat anymore. Azula had been making fun of him, sending a steady stream of sarcastic comments his way from the moment he first complained about the heat. He shook his head at her. He’d like to see her handle the frigid tundra of the Water Tribes. Then they’d see who’d be laughing.

“I don’t know why I put up with you,” Sokka teases, leaning over to pull the basket of food towards his body, “all you do is make fun of me.”

Azula crosses her legs and waves Sokka away, lifting her nose in the air, “Don’t try and act like you don’t like it. I know you do.”

With a grin, Sokka tosses the lid of the basket to the side. It rolls a little ways away and falls against the side of the stone wall. Inside the basket are various breads, fruits, and cheeses. About an hour ago, Sokka had snuck away into the kitchen in order to prepare a small meal to share with Azula atop their favorite tower. This was the tower where they had first progressed from enemies to tentative friends, and Sokka thought it would be neat to come and enjoy a meal together up here. He can’t tell for sure, because she does a damn good job of covering her emotions, but he thinks that Azula’s pleased to be up here with him.

For one, she seems to actually be smiling, rather than just smirking. Secondly, her insults are not nearly as mean as they usually are. And thirdly, she isn’t so stiff and regal. Her body is relaxed and she seems to genuinely be comfortable.

“So,” Sokka murmurs, stuffing a piece of cheese into his mouth, “How was your day?”

“Annoying.” Azula grumbles, reaching for a piece of fruit. She lifts it to her lips, taking a small bite of the strawberry, “Zuko seems to have made it his personal mission to get on my nerves. Not only does he insult me by simply existing, he has also decided that I’m not to train using my lightning. He seems to believe that I will get ideas from it.”

Sokka nods, swallowing the piece of cheese, “Ah, don’t worry about Zuko. He was probably in his office being all broody as usual and he let his head run away from him. He’ll come to his senses soon enough. Maybe even sooner if you’re nice to him about it.”

Azula sneers, “I’m not nice to Zuko.”

He laughs, “I know that. I’m just saying it might be worth a shot.”

“It’s not.” She stares at him, hard.

Sokka holds his hands up, “Hey, you know I’m on your side, Princess. I know that you’re not about to go on some murderous rampage.”

“Who’s to say I’m not?” His Princess smirks, “Would you still like me so much then?”

Sokka leans forward, pushing his lips hard against hers. Her lips open, more out of surprise than anything else, but Sokka isn’t the type to miss an opportunity. He deepens the kiss, putting a hand on her shoulder to pull her closer together. Azula puts a hand on the back of his neck, running her nails lightly through the short hair on his head. After a moment, Sokka pulls away, resting his forehead against Azula’s, “Even a murderous rampage wouldn’t make me run away from you, Azula.”

Azula takes a breath, her mouth open in surprise once again. Neither of the two say anything, staring at one another. After one silent minute, Azula puts a hand on Sokka’s leg and looks away. This might have discouraged Sokka, if he didn’t see her smile right before he turned her head.

“So,” Sokka murmurs, trying to lighten the mood, “Have I ever told you the story of when I singlehandedly fought off a saber tooth seal with my bare hands?”

“You don’t need to.” Azula states dryly, “I’m sure it sounds awfully similar to the story of you fighting off a wild polar bear dog with only a rock and two sleeping bags.”

“Alright then, if you don’t want to hear my stories, then why don’t you tell me one?”

Azula pauses, looking back over at Sokka, “You want me to tell you a story?”

“Yep.”

“I’m not a very good storyteller.”

“I don’t care.”

“Fine.” Azula shifts, crossing her legs and turning her body to face Sokka completely. She stares off at a point over his shoulder, obviously thinking of a story to tell. After a minute or two, her eyes snap back to Sokka, “Have you ever heard the legend of Benzaiten?”

Sokka stares at her, dumbfounded, “Uh, no, I don’t think so.”

“So, Benzaiten was one of the sons of Agni, and in ancient times, was considered to be the God of sea. A long time ago, there was a small village on an island next to a volcano. In that volcano, there was a dragon. The dragon was evil, and it would leave the volcano and come to the village and eat the children there. The volcano next to the island erupted and this made the dragon very angry and he began to eat more children than ever before. The villagers were scared and tired of their children being devoured by the dragon, so they prayed to every God that they knew, but the only one that listened was Benzaiten.

“Benzaiten rose from the sea and travelled to the island. When he arrived, the villagers fell to their knees, thanking Agni for sending His son their rescue. Benzaiten asked the villages where the dragon’s lair was. The villagers told him to follow the smell of the dead children’s flesh. Benzaiten followed the smell and found the dragon hiding within the volcano. When he entered, the dragon tried to devour him as well, but Benzaiten showed the dragon kindness and married it instead, taming the dragon’s taste for human flesh.

“Benzaiten rose from the erupting volcano, on the back of the dragon and flew off into the sky. The villagers rejoiced, because their children were safe. The lava from the volcano created a new island where the leader of the country created the capital for his nation. From then on, Benzaiten soared the skies of the Fire Nation on the back of his beloved and no more children were killed by the dragon.”

Azula closes her mouth and folds her hands in her lap. Sokka cocks an eyebrow, “Interesting story.”

“I agree. One of mine and Zuko’s nurses told it to us when we were children.”

Sokka nods, grabbing a piece of bread. He’s quiet for a minute before grinning, “So, uh, this Benzaton fellow -”

“Benzaiten.” Azula interjects.

“Sorry, Benzaiten, so this guy was like… Water Tribe, huh? Being the God of the sea and all…”

“No. He was Fire Nation. He was the Son of Agni, who ruled over the Sea.”

Sokka rips a piece of bread and puts it in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully, “I think he was Water Tribe. I mean, he ruled over the Sea.” He grins, “I quite like this Benzaiten… he tamed a dragon, that’s pretty neat.”

“He didn’t tame the dragon, he tamed the dragon’s taste for blood, you idiot. And don’t talk with your mouth full. It’s disgusting.”

Sokka swallows the bread, “Say, I think I’m like this Benzaiten guy, don’t you think?”

Azula throws her head back, her laugh high and sharp, “You think you are like Benzaiten?”

“Yeah,” Sokka reaches over and grabs Azula’s hand, intertwining their fingers, “I mean… I tamed your thirst for blood, didn’t I? And you’re just as dangerous as a dragon, if not more. And I mean… he is God of the sea. And I am water tribe.”

Azula stares at him, cocking an eyebrow. She smiles, showing her teeth, “It’s so sweet that you think you’ve tamed me.”

Sokka tilts his head, “Haven’t I?”

She pauses, pressing her lips together. After a moment, she shrugs and looks away, gazing out at the setting sun, “Perhaps you have.”

 


	5. Ember Island

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 5! So this is everything that I have on FF.net so far! I'm going to try to get Chapter 6 out soon, but I'm about to graduate high school and prom is coming up, so things are a bit hectic for me right now! But I will do my best!

There was never a more beautiful sight than Ember Island at sunset, in Sokka’s opinion. He sits on the sand, gazing out at the water, which stretches out farther than his eyes can see. The reddening sky descends upon the horizon and various birds swoop down from above, their beaks barely skimming the top of the water. It’s all so beautiful and Sokka wants nothing more than to just bask in the glory of it. 

He’d spent the entire day with Zuko at one of his meetings, mostly offering comic relief when it looked like a laugh was needed. It was tiring and boring and he’d retired to a secluded part of the beach, far from prying eyes. Typically, Sokka isn’t one to sit and watch sunsets, but he just can’t refuse the sheer beauty of the sky, not when it looks like this.

He closes his eyes, focusing on the ocean wind that brushes against his skin. He can’t remember the last time he felt so content. 

“Sokka?” A familiar voice interrupts his thoughts. 

The very sound of her speaking sends tingles running through his body as he draws in a breath. 

“Azula.” Her name tumbles from his tongue with ease.

She turns the corner, pushing a shrub out of her way. Her hair is down, falling onto her shoulders and down her back. He exhales slowly, staring at her. She’s so beautiful it makes his chest ache.

“Funny seeing you here.” He murmurs, tilting his head to look up at her incoming form. 

“Is it?” Azula asks, lowering herself to the sand next to Sokka, “I used to come to this spot quite often when I was a child. I like it. It’s quiet.”

“Yeah,” Sokka says, focusing on the small sound of the wind as it rustles the trees around him, “It has an amazing view. Look,” He points out to the sunset, “That’s beautiful.”

Azula follows the point of his finger and nods in agreement, “I suppose it is.” She looks down at the palm of her hand, “I used to try and mimic the color of the sunset with my fire.” She closes her fingers into a fist and opens it again, flexing her fingers, “That was before I discovered my blue fire.”

Flames dance upon Azula’s fingertips, a pale blue, wispy fire. Heat rises between them and Sokka smiles. No longer does he fear Azula and her fire. Sure, she makes generals twice her size and thrice her age quiver in fear. And yeah, maybe she did try to harm him and his friends during the war. But she’s different now, and so is he. There is something shared between them. It’s warm, like her fire. 

Azula puts out the flame and puts a hand on Sokka’s arm. Her skin is warm against his. 

He inhales, his eyes snapping up to meet Azula’s. He knows what she wants and it makes him nervous, but in a good way. He feels each breath in his lungs like the press of fingers in his throat and lungs, as though he was a child again, learning how to breathe through heat, rain, and fog. 

Azula’s fingertips move over his wrists, tracing lines up his forearm. His muscles tighten, then slacken. Her touch makes his heart beat a tattoo into his ribcage. How is it that even now, months later, she can still turn him into a lovestruck idiot? 

He slips one arm around Azula’s shoulders and inches closer, until their lips are just a finger’s breadth apart. Her eyes are still and bright and her lips curve in anticipation. He puts his other hand on her waist and slides up, tugging gently at the fabric just under Azula’s breasts. 

Heat coils in Sokka’s belly and he takes a deep breath. 

“Sokka,” Azula whispers, her tone as supple as her body. Sokka unhooks his arm from her shoulder and rises to his knees in one fluid motion. His hands, as they pulled Azula towards him, are unyielding. 

They’re face to face, only a sliver of air between them. Azula’s fingers go to his wrists and drift up his arms. 

He grins at his Princess and closes the gap between them, hair’s breadth by hair’s breadth, until his chest is against her breasts and his mouth is rested against her neck. He runs the tip of his tongue over skin that tasted of sun and salt. Azula shivers. Sokka can feel her heartbeat and the thrum of her pulse as it drums in her neck. 

He kisses her lips, breathing in the scent of fire lilies and soap and sea water. He no longer heard the hum of the ocean or the evening din of the insects. There was only the rise and fall of Azula’s chest, the curly hairs on the back of her neck, the half-whimper as his fingers trailed over Azula’s shoulders, and her skin; hot enough to burn holes through fabric.

Energy crashes inside of Sokka, dotted his skin with goosebumps. They race down his arms and hands, which wrap around Azula with a gasp of pleasure. 

“Don’t let go of me,” Azula warns as Sokka lowers her back down to the ground.

“I would never.” He whispers. There is a shudder in his voice.

Sokka makes love to Azula on the sands of Ember Island, slow and sweet. The sun sets and the stars come out and everything is so beautiful and he can’t think of a time in his life as comfortable as this moment. 

Afterwards, they remain on the beach, basking like cat-gators in the moonlight. Azula leans on Sokka and allows him to play with her hair. She’s aware that she’s going to look in the mirror later to find a ridiculous collection of braids and loops but she lets him play anyways.

“Azula?” Sokka asks, looking up at the sky. It’s dark, with splotches of purple lining the water’s edge. The very last remnants of the sun. An ocean wind blows through, making the air sweet. 

“Yes?”

Sokka hesitates, looking up the dusting of stars above. He isn’t sure what he wants to say or how to express what he’s feeling. There is a knot in his stomach and he inhales, overwhelmed by a sudden onslaught of emotion. His brain scrambles to make sense of these new sensations. He’d known for awhile now that his feelings for Azula ran deeper than he’d first expected and he suspected that it was the same for her too. But what did that mean exactly? Did he love her? He enjoyed the way her body felt against his and he enjoyed the way they made love and he enjoyed the way that they could talk for hours, but did that really mean he loved her? And if he did love her, did she love him back? What if saying it made her angry? He wasn’t sure if he could handle that. He values what they have too much to risk it by expressing feelings that might not even be real. 

After a moment, he decides to just keep quiet about the confusion in his mind. He clears his throat, “This is nice.”

“Mhmm.” She responds lazily, completely unaware to Sokka’s inner turmoil. 

Sokka and Azula lay together long into the night. Azula drifts in and out of sleep, comfortable and warm in the safety of Sokka’s arms. He stays awake for the most time, gazing at the stars and the infinite space in between them. His eyes wander over towards the moon and he wonders what Yue would say to him if she knew what he was thinking. 

Would she be angry at him? She had enough reason to be, after all, he had just slept with the Princess of the Fire Nation, the very nation that was responsible for her death. Not only hers, but countless other members of the Water Tribes, as well as those from the other nations. Not to mention Azula’s personal wrongdoings.

But there was a chance she’d support him, right? After all, he was happy with the way things were with Azula. She was an enigma that he was so excited to figure out. He’d been with different women in his life. There was Yue, who was the first girl he’d ever loved. There was Suki, who’d been his comfort in a really scary time. There was even that one girl he’d gone on a date with when he and Suki ended things. But none of these girls measured up to Azula. He’d never been so challenged. It was hard, being with Azula, but it was so worth it. Despite the difficulty that came with being with the Princess, Sokka had never been so happy. Surely Yue wouldn’t begrudge him for that?

Sokka sighs and touches Azula’s cheek. Her eyes flutter open and she lifts her head to gaze at him. She’s silent and her eyes stare into his and they both smile.

“We should go back soon.” Azula says, “I don’t want someone to notice that both of us are missing. It would be difficult to explain that one.” 

“I know.” Sokka responds. He sits up, bring Azula with him. His stomach growls and he rubs it, a thoughtful expression on his face, “Hey! I never had dinner!” 

“Good,” Azula comments dryly, “You need to skip a meal or two or we’ll be out of food before we know it.”

“Hey!” Sokka exclaims, feigning hurt.

“You know it’s true.”

Sokka just grumbles and shakes his head. 

Sokka and Azula walk back up the beach, hand in hand. Azula slips inside first, and Sokka goes in ten minutes after, so as to not raise any suspicion incase people are awake. Luckily, the house is silent.

Sokka settles into the warmth of his bed, thinking long and hard about his time with the Princess. As he falls asleep, he thinks of Azula, and considers the idea that maybe he really has fallen in love with her.


	6. Flames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka contemplates his feelings towards Azula and her firebending and comes to an important realization.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Told you that Chapter 6 would be out soon! Anyways, enjoy! Thank you to my beta Zeke for checking this (and all previous) chapter over!

Sokka has never really cared much for bending, and for many good reasons. **  
**

First, a firebender killed his mother while looking for a waterbender. If there were no such thing as bending, the soldiers never would have had a reason to come into his family’s hut and kill his mother. This alone has always made him slightly biased against bending, and especially firebending in particular. It was hard to even be around fire after that. Of course, he had to, because it was essential to his survival. But he could no longer feel safe and comfortable around flames.

Second, from the moment his sister had first demonstrated her ability to bend water, Sokka had always been jealous of her. Why had she been the one to waterbend? Why not Sokka? He’d made peace with this a long time ago, but the questions he had pondered in his childhood still floated around in his head.

In all, Sokka feels that he really does have plenty of good, valid reasons to distrust bending. But when he watches Azula practice, he can’t seem to recall any of them.

She’s sparring with some of the guards in the palace and she sure isn’t giving them a break. It’s Azula against three adult men and Sokka snorts, because that isn’t a challenge for the Princess at all. Azula knows this too, which is why she laughs as she swings a flaming blue fire whip at the man in front of her. He tries to dodge, but Azula catches his ankles and sends him sprawling to the floor, a yell dying in his throat.

For a second, Sokka’s eyes widen, because the man just stays on the floor instead of getting up. Is he hurt? His eyes flicker worriedly to Azula, who doesn’t even spare the man on the floor a second guess. Instead, she is already unleashing a vicious attack on the two remaining men. But another look back at the unconscious guard shows him to be stirring on the ground.

He gets lost in her bending once more, unable to tear his eyes away from the blue flames that are spiraling across the room. Azula’s flames are cold and terrifying, but they fill Sokka with a warmth nonetheless.

The match ends quickly, with Azula knocking the remaining two men unconscious. When the last man’s body hits the ground, Azula turns and looks at Sokka, cocking her eyebrow. Something stirs deep inside of him when they make eye contact. The Princess has never looked more beautiful than she does right now, heaving chest, sweaty body and all. Sokka smiles back, giving her a small wave.

She stares at him for a minute longer before turning away to stare at the last remaining guard, who’s standing watch at the door.

“Send for a healer.” She says sharply, waving her hand at the bodies on the ground.

The man bows, and then disappears out of the door.

“So,” Azula murmurs, walking his direction, “How long have you been watching me practice?”

Sokka tilts his head, “Not too long. I came in right when you knocked the first guy out.” He motions to the body of the man Azula had defeated with a fire whip.

“Since when do you like to watch me spar?” She crosses her arms over her chest, gazing at him with a mixture of curiosity and something that he couldn’t quite put a name on.

“Since today. You were amazing, Azula! I never thought that I would actually enjoy watching someone firebend, but you proved me wrong.”

“Yes, well, everything I do is amazing. Even someone as thick as you was bound to notice eventually.” She waves her hand loftily and begins walking towards the exit.

Sokka makes a noise of indignation and scurries after her, jogging until he catches up with her again. “I’m serious, Azula!” His voice raises in excitement, “That was… that was… I can’t even think of a word for how awesome that was.”

His Princess rolls her eyes, but he can see her smile and that is all that he needs.

They step out into the corridor and continue walking down the hallway. Azula stops him and holds her hand out, her palm facing upwards. A blue flame appears in her hand, casting a shadow over Azula’s face.

“This doesn’t scare you?” She questions, stepping closer to the warrior, “Not even a little bit?”

Sokka looks down, his eyes staring straight into her fire. He looks up, making eye contact with Azula. He smiles and shrugs his shoulders, “I think I’ll always be a little bit scared of you, Azula.” He glances over his shoulder to make sure that no one else is occupying the corridor and then leans in and gently presses his lips to her cheek in a kiss.

He pulls away quickly, his heart racing at the excitement of kissing Azula in such a public place. The flame in her hand goes out, and she clenches her fingers into a fist and drops her arm to her side. She also glances around the corridor, as if to check for anyone that Sokka might have missed. When she’s sure the coast is clear, she turns back at Sokka, frowning.

“That was very risky. Anyone could have walked by.”

“I know. But I just couldn’t help myself.”

There is a moment of silence, during which Sokka forces himself to ignore those pesky feelings of ‘maybe in love’ away. Now was not the time to complicate matters even further than they already were.

“Azula,” Sokka begins, shuffling his feet, “Your fire still scares me a little bit, I won’t lie… but…” he hesitates, looking back and forth from the wall to the floor, “I trust you not to hurt me with it.”

Azula’s eyebrows furrow together, like she’s not sure of what Sokka is saying. She licks her lips and nods slowly, “I suppose only time will tell us if you are right to trust me.”

“I am.”

She makes eye contact with him and sighs before turning and stalking off down the corridor. He stares at her retreating form and smiles giddily. Damn, she was something.

Sokka turns and begins heading towards the kitchens, feeling hungry after watching Azula practice. As he walks, his mind ponders his change in attitude towards firebending. Two years ago, he fully believed that fire could only cause death and destruction. He thought it was ugly and wrong and he hated everything about it because fire killed his mother and fire killed Aang’s people and fire tore his father away from him to fight in a war that should never have been started. But he’s come to see it for what it really was; warmth and passion. He now realizes that it wasn’t fire that did all of those horrible things, it was people.

It sort of relates to how he looks at Azula. Before, he thought she was evil and terrifying, and he was sure that she had no good inside of her. But after taking the time to really know her in a way that no else could, he understands that Azula wasn’t evil.

She had good inside of her. It was just buried under the cruelty that her father had bestowed upon her.

He was going to make it his personal mission to show everyone else in the world just how much the Princess had changed, and he was going to start by showing Azula, herself.


	7. Garden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka has something really important to tell Azula.

“Have you seen Princess Azula?”

“I have not. Might I ask why you’re looking for her?”

“Uh, we made a bet that I couldn’t go two hours without sneaking into the kitchens and I lost. I was just looking for her so I could let her know.”

“Ah, I see. Well, unfortunately, I do not know where she is. But it pleases me that you two seem to be friends. I noticed in Ba Sing Se that she seemed happier around you. ”

“Err… well, I wouldn’t say happier, per say. I’d just say… less angry. She’s less angry when I’m around. That’s it. Haha. Well, uh, I’m just going to go, uh, look for her! It was nice talking to you, General Iroh!”

“Same to you, Sokka.”

Sokka slips away and angrily slaps his hand against his forehead, “I’m such an idiot. Why did I think it was a good idea to talk to General Iroh? Of course he would notice something was going on!”

The Water Tribe warrior grumbles to himself as he wanders all over the Fire Nation palace in search of the Princess. He looks all over the place and still, she’s nowhere to be found. First, he checks the kitchen. After all, he spends a lot of his time there, so it was worth a shot, right? He pokes his head in and turns and looks around, shoulders slumping in disappointment whenever he realizes she’s not there. Second, he checks her room, managing to slip past the guards to get into her chambers. It’s completely empty, so he ducks back out to keep looking. After that, he runs all over the palace, checking the sparring grounds, the throne room, and even Zuko’s private study, but he can’t find her anywhere. He’s just about to check their tower, when he stumbles upon a pair of gossiping maids in the corridor. They’re standing outside of one of the bathrooms, arms full of towels, as they chatter on. Sokka doesn’t give them a glance until he hears something that catches his interest.

“Well, Yuji told me the Princess hasn’t been in the Royal Gardens in years. Not since Fire Lord Zuko was banished as a boy.” One of the maids, a short and stocky woman, leans in to her friend, like she’s divulging a great secret.

“Are you sure about that? Yuji is notorious for blowing things out of proportion.” The second maid scoffs, “ I swear, one day that man is going to lie to the wrong person and end up dead.”

“Yuji wasn’t lying about this. Sayo was there as well, and she confirmed what Yuji was saying.”

“Well, if Sayo says it’s true, then it must be.” The second maid adjusts the towels in her arms, “Hm, I wonder why the Princess decided to go to garden then. Fire Lord Zuko was always more of the type to loiter around there.”  
The first maid giggles and drops her towels in a basket on the ground, “Well, Mu Tan, if you’re so curious, why don’t you go ask Princess Azula herself?”

“And have my hair burnt off? No thank you.”

The two women scuttle away, whispering and laughing amongst one another. Meanwhile, Sokka is already walking quickly towards the Royal Gardens, determined to find Azula. The Royal Gardens are typically closed off only to the royal family, but since he’s a war hero, as well as a close friend of both the Avatar and the Fire Lord, he’s thankfully granted access to the gardens. He’s only been in there a handful of times, seeing as he’s never really had a reason to step inside. He isn’t exactly the type to just go sit outside in a garden.

When he makes it to the door, the guard lets him in without a word. He spots Azula right away, sitting by the pond. There are turtleducks in the water, swimming around and making noise. She’s glaring at the animals, as if they had committed an unforgivable sin against her. He begins walking towards her, doing his best to stay quiet.

Of course, he should have known that Azula would hear him coming. When he’s about three feet away from her, she turns, “What are you doing in here? You never come to the gardens.” 

“I could ask you the same thing. If the palace gossip is correct, you haven’t been in here in years.”

“That is true.” Azula turns away, gazing back out in front of her.

Sokka sits down next to her and reaches for her hand, lacing their fingers together. He’s not worried about being caught, since the only other people that are allowed in the garden are Zuko and General Iroh, and he doubts either one would make a random trip right now. Sokka knows for a fact that Zuko is having difficulty negotiating with the ambassador from Ba Sing Se over trade details, so he should be plenty busy. 

Sokka bumps his shoulder against Azula’s, “It’s pretty out here, isn’t it?”

“If you like this sort of thing, then I suppose.” 

“Why don’t you come out here more often?” Sokka asks, genuinely curious. 

“I hate the garden.” She says, turning and giving him a flat stare.

“You… hate it?” He questions, turning his head, “I mean… I’m not one for gardens and stuff. But you have to admit… it’s pretty peaceful out here.”

“For you, maybe.”

“Why are you out here, then? If you hate it so much?”

“Must you ask so many questions?” She snaps irritably, yanking her hand away from Sokka’s.

He raises his eyebrows, surprised by her anger. Sure, Sokka and Azula loved to bicker. It was fun and it usually ended with them in bed together. But it had been awhile since Azula had actually been angry with him. He really wants to asks her why she’s in such a sour mood, but he values his face and he doesn’t want it to be burned off. So instead, he stays quiet, taking turns between looking at Azula and looking at the water, waiting for her to either answer his question, or to change the subject. 

The minutes tick by in a semi uncomfortable silence before finally, Azula speaks up, “I have always hated the garden, I suppose, even as a child. It reminds me of my mother.”

“Your mother?”

“Yes, my mother.” She looks down at her hands, examining her nails. After a moment, she looks up, giving Sokka a disinterested look, “As you know, my father always favored me over Zuko. Zuko was everything my father hated. Emotional, weak, and a terrible firebender. I was everything that my father wanted. I excelled at firebending, and I never failed to make him proud.” 

Sokka shakes his head, finding it impossible to even imagine having Azula’s childhood. Ozai was the complete opposite of his father. Where Ozai was cold, cruel, and ruthless, Hakoda was warm, loving, and compassionate. He might not have been rich and royal, like Azula and Zuko, but at least he grew up with a loving family. In Sokka’s opinion, this was far more valuable than anything money or power could provide. 

“My mother, on the other hand, babied Zuko to pieces.” Azula continues talking, continuing to speak in a flat, monotone voice, “She was always there to wipe away his tears. She spent most of her time making Zuko feel better, so she tended to favor him over me. She didn’t understand my father, and since I was so like him, she didn’t understand me. I don’t have many good memories of my mother, and since she spent most of her time here in the garden, I suppose I don’t have many good memories of here either. This is more Zuko’s sanctuary, rather than mine.”

“So why did you decide to come here?” Sokka asks softly, letting a few seconds go by.

“I don’t know.” Azula shrugs her shoulders, “Nostalgia, I suppose? I’m not sure, really.” 

Sokka nods, unconvinced. Azula wasn’t the nostalgic type. Or, she never had been before. Azula cocks an eyebrow at his concerned expression and rolls her eyes, “Now don’t sit here and feel bad for me, please. It’s not like I’m saddened by my relationship with my mother. I feel nothing towards her.”

Sokka’s expression shifts from concern to skepticism and he just knows she isn’t telling the truth. If Azula felt nothing towards her mother then she wouldn’t even be in the garden in the first place, right? He doesn’t say that to Azula, though. He knows she wouldn’t take his thoughts well. Still, he can’t help but think it. It bothers him that Azula didn’t grow up with the same type of family love that he did. Everyone deserves to feel loved, and the same goes for Azula. 

Sokka clears his throat and scoots closer to the Princess. He grabs her hand again, and squeezes it softly. The feelings that he’d been pushing down the past few weeks were dangerously close to rushing to the surface and he wasn’t sure if that would be a good thing or a bad thing. There was a chance that Azula would take it badly and declare that she wanted nothing to do with him. That did plenty to discourage him from voicing his emotions. The last thing that he wanted was to lose Azula. 

But there is no hiding it now, though, not from himself at least. He is in love with Princess Azula and he’s been in love with her for weeks now. It’s not easy, being in love with her. It’s hard. There are some days where he isn’t sure if he wants to know this madness or feel that chaos in his chest. He hadn’t even seen it coming, either. If he had been paying attention, perhaps he might have predicted this, but he was too busy spending time with the Princess to even notice his change in feelings. But whether or not he saw it coming, he is in love with Azula. For better or for worse, she is the girl that he loves, and shouldn’t he express that? Did he really want to hide these feelings in case she rejected him? What if she feels the same? Wouldn’t he be a fool for not even trying?

In a split second, Sokka makes his decision. 

He clears his throat, “Azula.”

“Sokka.”

“I’m in love with you.” He’s met with silence. A bit nervously, he holds onto her hand a little harder, “I just needed to tell you that, okay? And… I’m sorry that your parents sucked. They didn’t love you the right way… But, uhm, I do, I think. I do love you.”

Azula stares at him, an unreadable expression on her face. Azula’s always pretty hard to read but it’s especially difficult to decipher her emotions right now. He’s really nervous right now, sweaty palms and all. He leans in, making eye contact with her.

“Azula, say something please.”

She continues to stare at him. He wished that he could see into her brain so he would know exactly what she was thinking. Seconds tick by, and the only sound that can be heard is the sound of the turtleducks as they splash and quack around the pond. For a moment, he contemplates drowning himself in the water, just so he wouldn’t have to feel this anxious anymore. He would prefer her to slap him in the face, rather than experience this uncomfortable uncertainty.  
A split second later, Azula yanks her hand away from Sokka and pushes herself to her feet, “I need to go.”

Sokka quickly gets up after her, “What? Azula, no. C’mon, let’s at least talk about this.”

“I said that I need to go.” She snaps. She turns away from him and begins walking towards the garden exit. 

He follows after her, jogging to keep up with her quick pace, “Azula, wait!” 

Before he even knows it, she’s storming back into the corridor and up the set of stairs that lead to her chambers.

He stops following when she disappears up the stairs. Dejected, Sokka drops down to the ground and puts his face in his hand. He was an idiot. He should have never told Azula what he was feeling. Now everything was messed up between them and he wasn’t sure if he would be able to fix this. Azula never exactly told him anything back, but he figures that her storming away was just as good of an answer as anything else.

With a sad sigh, Sokka gets on his feet. There was only one thing that would make him feel better, and that thing was food. So with a heavy sigh, Sokka begins walking towards the kitchen, hoping it would help get Azula off of his mind.


End file.
